Vriesea plant named ‘FLARE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Vriesea plant named ‘FLARE’ characterized as a funnel form rosette plant, measuring about 34 cm in height (when flowering) and 40 cm in diameter, producing compound, orange-red in color, bipinnate spike inflorescence, measuring about 25 cm in length and about 12 cm in width, and about 6 to 7 branches, and yellow-green foliage, measuring about 26 cm in length and about 3.5 cm in width.

Latin name of the genus and species: Vriesea hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘FLARE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vrieseaplant, botanically known as Vriesea hybrida, hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘FLARE’. The genus of Vriesea belongs to theBromeliaceae family. The new Vriesea cultivar is a product of a plannedbreeding program conducted by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nico D. M.Steur, in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop a new Vriesea variety with good growing habit andattractive inflorescence.

The new Vriesea cultivar ‘FLARE’ originated from a cross-made in acontrolled breeding program by the inventors in 1997 in Assendelft, TheNetherlands. The seed parent is an unpatented Vriesea selectiondesignated ‘930484’. The pollen parent is an unpatented Vrieseaselection designated ‘930370’. ‘FLARE’ was discovered and selected bythe inventors in 2002, as a single flowering plant within the progeny ofthe stated cross in a controlled environment in Assendelft, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘FLARE’ was first performed bytissue culture in 2014, in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The first‘FLARE’ plants propagated through the use of tissue culture flowered in2018, in Assendelft, The Netherlands, and have demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivarare firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘FLARE’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘FLARE’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘FLARE’ as a new and distinct Vriesea cultivar:

-   -   1. Funnel form rosette.    -   2. Compound, orange-red bipinnate spike inflorescence.    -   3. About 6-7 branches.    -   4. Yellow green foliage.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the parents are no longer available to provide a botanicalcomparison with the new Vriesea cultivar ‘FLARE’.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘FLARE’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to theunpatented commercial variety Vriesea ‘Shade’, U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 16/602,006. However the new variety, ‘FLARE’differs in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety is a smaller plant than this comparator.    -   2. This comparator has 3 bract-like branches below its main        inflorescence, while the new variety does not.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying figure illustrates the overall appearance of the newVriesea cultivar ‘FLARE’ showing the colors as true as is reasonablypossible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describes the color of‘FLARE’. The photograph shows a side perspective view of a typicalpotted flowering plant of ‘FLARE’ at about 18 months of age frompotting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

‘FLARE’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length,fertilizers and humidity without any change in the genotype of theplant. The afore mentioned photograph, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe the new Vriesea cultivaras grown in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands, underconditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercialpractice. Plants of ‘FLARE’ were grown in a greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 20° C. to 28° C. and night temperaturesranging from 18° C. to 23° C. No artificial lighting or photoperiodictreatments were conducted, but plants of ‘FLARE’ are forced intoflowering. The following fertilizer is added when growing plants of‘FLARE’: 1 part nitrogen, 0.6 parts phosphor, 2 parts Kalium and 0.1parts magnesium. Color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 except where general colors ofordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylightconditions in a greenhouse in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age ofthe plants of ‘FLARE’ described is about 18 months from potting.

-   Botanical classification: Vriesea hybrida ‘FLARE’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Shape: Funnel form rosette.-   Height: Approximately: 34 cm.-   Plant spread: Approximately: 40 cm.-   Plant vigor: Good.-   Flowering season: A fully grown plant can flower year-round,    starting 15 weeks after induction of natural light or through    flowering treatment.-   Cold tolerance: Frost tender. Temperatures below 5° C. may damage    plants.-   Fragrance: None.-   Root description: Densely branched, non-fibrous, non-fleshy, colored    Greyed-orange; near RHS 165C.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Quantity.—About 20.        -   Average length.—About 26 cm.        -   Average width.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Broad and linear.        -   Apex.—Abruptly acuminate.        -   Base.—Strap-like around central axis.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Leaf color can vary depending on growing conditions.            Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 139A. Young foliage            under side: RHS Green 139A. Mature foliage upper side: RHS            Green 137A. Mature foliage under side: RHS Green 137A.        -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Venation coloration:            Indistinguished from leaf blade.-   Petiole: No petiole present.-   Branchlets:    -   -   Quantity.—About 6-7.        -   Length.—About 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Color.—RHS Orange-Red 33A.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Bracts:    -   -   Quantity of bracts on main spike.—About 12.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Length.—About 3 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Overall shape.—Ovate.        -   Color.—RHS Orange-Red 33A.        -   Apex.—Broad acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces.

INFLORESCENCE

-   General description: 1 flower per floral bract, typical for the    genus Vriesea; flowering is normally in progression from base to tip    of scape.    -   -   Inflorescence height.—Approximately 25 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—Approximately 12 cm.        -   Shape.—Bipinnate spike (main spike about 12 cm in length and            about 4 cm in width, side spike about 9 cm in length and            about 3 cm in width).        -   Color.—RHS Orange-Red 33A.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Long and narrow, petals and sepals fused at the base            around the ovary.        -   Number.—About 44 depending on the size of the plant.        -   Size.—About 3.4 cm long and 0.7 cm in diameter.-   Petals:    -   -   Number.—3 per flower.        -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 0.8 cm.        -   Overall shape.—Ligulate.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Base shape.—Fused.        -   Texture.—Smooth all surfaces.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS Yellow 9C. Lower surface: RHS            Yellow 9C.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number.—3 per flower.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 0.8 cm.        -   Overall shape.—Ligulate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Base shape.—Fused.        -   Texture.—Smooth all surfaces.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Closest to RHS Yellow 8A.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamen.—Number: 6 per flower. Length: About 3.8 cm.            Diameter: About 0.1 cm. Color: RHS Yellow 11C.        -   Anther.—Length: About 0.6 cm. Color: Closest to RHS Yellow            11A.        -   Pollen.—Amount: Not countable. Color: Yellow, too small to            qualify R.H.S.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—Number: 1 per flower. Length: About 4.2 cm.        -   Stigma.—Shape: 3-parted. Width: About 0.4 cm. Color: RHS            Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Style.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow 11C.        -   Ovary.—Shape: Conical. Length: About 0.5 cm. Diameter: About            0.3 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 150C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease and pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility    to normal diseases and pests of Vriesea observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Frost tender. Temperatures below 5° C. may    damage plants.-   Fruit/seed production: No fruits/seeds detected to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Vriesea plantnamed ‘FLARE’ as herein illustrated and described.